✵The article records the herb Longan Aril, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely, the plant species Dimocarpus longan Lour.—and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the characteristics of the herb Longan Aril; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Arillus Longan (Longan Aril)
Pinyin Name: Lóng Yǎn Ròu
English Name: Longan Aril
Latin Name:Arillus Longan Properties and Flavor: Warm in nature; sweet in taste
Brief Introduction:Arillus Longan is the dried aril of Dimocarpus longan Lour., used to nourish the blood and calm the mind, primarily for treating palpitations, dizziness, and insomnia. It is commonly known as Longan Aril, Arillus Longan, or Lóng Yǎn Ròu.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works—including authoritative materia medica works—define Arillus Longan (Longan Aril) as the dried aril of Dimocarpus longan Lour., a species belonging to the genus Dimocarpus, family Sapindaceae (soapberry family), order Sapindales. The following describes this widely used species:
Dimocarpus longan Lour.
Botanical Description:Dimocarpus longan Lour., also known as Euphoria longan (Lour.) Steud., is commonly called Lóng Yǎn. Its fruit—longan—is traditionally named Guīyuán and is a subtropical specialty. Historically, “southern longan and northern ginseng” have been regarded as complementary tonics. Longan fruit is rich in nutrients and has been prized since ancient times as a valuable tonic with pronounced nourishing effects.
It is an evergreen tree, typically reaching 10 meters in height, with buttress roots. Branchlets are thickset, puberulent, and bear scattered pale lenticels. Leaves are paripinnate and alternate; leaf blades and petioles measure 15–30 cm (or longer); there are usually 4–5 pairs of leaflets (rarely 3 or 6), with petiolules generally ≤5 mm long. Leaf blades are thinly coriaceous, oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, often asymmetrical, 6–15 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide; apices are acuminate (sometimes slightly blunt); the upper surface is dark green and glossy; the lower surface is pink green; both surfaces are glabrous.
Inflorescences are large, much-branched, terminal and axillary, arising near branch tips and densely covered with stellate hairs. Pedicels are short. Sepals (calyx lobes) are coriaceous more or less, triangular-ovate, ~2.5 mm long, with yellowish-brown tomentum and bundles of stellate hairs on both surfaces. There are five sepals and five petals; petals are cream-white (milky-white), lanceolate, nearly equal in length to the sepals, puberulent only on the outer surface. 8 stamens; filaments are covered with short hirsute hairs.
Fruits are subspherical drupes, indehiscent, 1.2–2.5 cm in diameter, usually tawny (yellowish-brown) or occasionally sallow (grayish-yellow); the exocarp is slightly rough, rarely bearing small subconvex tubercles. Seeds are tea-brown (dark brown), lustrous, and entirely enveloped by a pulpose aril. Flowering occurs from March to April; fruiting from July to September.
Longan is native to southern China and has over 2,000 years of cultivation history. Fresh fruits are spherical, with a hard shell enclosing translucent, juicy pulp. The pulp is white when fresh, succulent, and honey-sweet. Upon drying, it turns dark brown, becomes flexible, and is then termed "longan."
Dried longan is widely consumed across China as a nutritional supplement. Due to its high water content (50–70%), longan provides favorable conditions for microbial growth and reproduction; however, in low-moisture environments, such growth is inhibited. Besides water, longan contains sugars, proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients—making it a high-quality natural substrate for microorganisms. During thermal processing (e.g., dry roasting), moisture is reduced to levels where soluble substances become highly concentrated, rendering them less accessible to microbes. Thermal treatment also reduces moisture content and inhibits enzymatic activity.
Dried longan appears globular and uniform in size, with a yellowish, slightly powdery exocarp. The shell is hard, crisp, and friable—easily crushed between fingers or teeth, producing a distinct sound. The kernel is fragile; the aril is thick, succulent, and translucent, often marked with brown spots. The pulp surface bears fine wrinkles and encircles a reddish peduncle scar. Moisture content of the aril ranges from 15% to 19%. In southern China, dried longan is commonly used in decoctions—often combined with jujube, lotus seed, or other herbs.
Ecological Environment: The tree prefers warm and humid conditions. It is widely cultivated in China, primarily grown along riversides and in gardens. In some regions, it grows wild or semi-wild in open forests.
Environmental conditions are critical to longan production. Longan can only be cultivated in limited geographical areas worldwide—typically subtropical to warm temperate zones free from severe frost. Consequently, longan has long been regarded as a premium fruit of southern China and is valued both for its medicinal properties and fresh-market demand.
Growth Characteristics:Dimocarpus longan Lour. is a subtropical fruit tree that thrives in high temperatures and high humidity; temperature is the primary factor influencing its growth and fruiting. It grows well in regions where the mean annual temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F). It is drought-tolerant, acid-tolerant, and adaptable to infertile soils, but sensitive to waterlogging. It grows vigorously on red soil in hilly areas and on dry, flat land. It is easy to cultivate, long-lived, and capable of high yields.
Characteristics of the Herb: The aril consists of irregular, flaky, lumpy pieces, often adhering together and forming aggregates. Length: 1–1.5 cm; width: 1–3.5 cm; thickness: ~1 mm. Color ranges from yellowish-brown to brown; translucent. The outer surface (adjacent to the pericarp) is wrinkled and uneven; the inner surface (adherent to the seed) is lustrous and bears fine, vertical wrinkles. Texture is soft, moist, and slightly sticky (glutinous). The herb has a mild fragrance and a distinctly sweet taste.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) In vitro inhibitory effect against Microsporum audouinii; (2) Sedative and stomach-strengthening effects; (3) In vitro inhibitory effect against Shigella dysenteriae.
Medicinal Efficacy: Tonifies the heart and spleen; nourishes Qi and blood; nourishes blood and calms the mind. Indicated for: Qi and blood deficiency; palpitations with anxiety; palpitations due to Qi and blood deficiency; severe palpitation; insomnia; deficiency of both heart and spleen; consumptive disorders with emaciation and fatigue; forgetfulness (amnesia, poor memory); blood deficiency with sallow complexion; irregular menstruation; uterine bleeding (metrorrhagia and metrostaxis).
Administration of Arillus Longan (Lóng Yǎn Ròu):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Arillus Longan (Lóng Yǎn Ròu)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 9–15 grams; (2) Internally: Water decoction, 2–5 qián (≈ 6–15 grams); also prepared as ointments, wine infusions, pills, or powders; (3) Internally: Water decoction, 10–15 grams; higher doses up to 30–60 g may be used clinically; also prepared as ointments, wine infusions, pills, or powders.
✵The article records the herb Longan Aril, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely, the plant species Dimocarpus longan Lour.—and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the characteristics of the herb Longan Aril; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Lóng Yǎn Ròu
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works—including authoritative materia medica works—define Arillus Longan (Longan Aril) as the dried aril of Dimocarpus longan Lour., a species belonging to the genus Dimocarpus, family Sapindaceae (soapberry family), order Sapindales. The following describes this widely used species:
It is an evergreen tree, typically reaching 10 meters in height, with buttress roots. Branchlets are thickset, puberulent, and bear scattered pale lenticels. Leaves are paripinnate and alternate; leaf blades and petioles measure 15–30 cm (or longer); there are usually 4–5 pairs of leaflets (rarely 3 or 6), with petiolules generally ≤5 mm long. Leaf blades are thinly coriaceous, oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, often asymmetrical, 6–15 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide; apices are acuminate (sometimes slightly blunt); the upper surface is dark green and glossy; the lower surface is pink green; both surfaces are glabrous.
Longan is native to southern China and has over 2,000 years of cultivation history. Fresh fruits are spherical, with a hard shell enclosing translucent, juicy pulp. The pulp is white when fresh, succulent, and honey-sweet. Upon drying, it turns dark brown, becomes flexible, and is then termed "longan."
Ecological Environment: The tree prefers warm and humid conditions. It is widely cultivated in China, primarily grown along riversides and in gardens. In some regions, it grows wild or semi-wild in open forests.
Growth Characteristics: Dimocarpus longan Lour. is a subtropical fruit tree that thrives in high temperatures and high humidity; temperature is the primary factor influencing its growth and fruiting. It grows well in regions where the mean annual temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F). It is drought-tolerant, acid-tolerant, and adaptable to infertile soils, but sensitive to waterlogging. It grows vigorously on red soil in hilly areas and on dry, flat land. It is easy to cultivate, long-lived, and capable of high yields.
Characteristics of the Herb: The aril consists of irregular, flaky, lumpy pieces, often adhering together and forming aggregates. Length: 1–1.5 cm; width: 1–3.5 cm; thickness: ~1 mm. Color ranges from yellowish-brown to brown; translucent. The outer surface (adjacent to the pericarp) is wrinkled and uneven; the inner surface (adherent to the seed) is lustrous and bears fine, vertical wrinkles. Texture is soft, moist, and slightly sticky (glutinous). The herb has a mild fragrance and a distinctly sweet taste.
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